Electrical signals become lower in amplitude, or “attenuated” as they travel through conductors in systems. For example, when two integrated circuits on a circuit board are coupled by signal conductors on the circuit board, an electrical signal transmitted by one integrated circuit may be received as an attenuated signal by the other integrated circuit. The amount of attenuation can be influenced by many factors, including the distance that the signal travels in the conductor. Signals that travel through long conductors tend to be more attenuated than signals that travel through short conductors.
Some systems have long conductors between circuits, and some systems have short conductors between circuits. Still some other systems have a mixture of short and long conductors between circuits. This leads to signals arriving at integrated circuits at various amplitudes. Amplifier circuits that receive signals are typically designed to receive them at a particular amplitude or range of amplitudes. Errors can result when signals at various amplitudes arrive at amplifiers designed to receive them at a particular amplitude.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternate amplifiers.